Nitrate contamination risk of the Zagreb aquifer

Huljek, Laura; Perković, Dario; Kovač, Zoran

doi:10.1080/17445647.2019.1642248

Cited by 10 publications

(8 citation statements)

References 28 publications

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“…The presence of the clayey cambic horizon, with a pedological profile structure of A-(B)w-C, is characteristic for the specified soil [31]. It has been shown that the thickness of the unsaturated zone varies from two meters in the southeastern part of the Zagreb aquifer to eight meters in the northwestern part [34], while in high waters, some areas can be flooded [35]. A great part of the unsaturated zone, especially in the left bank of the Sava River in the urban part of the City of Zagreb, has been disintegrated by anthropogenic influences, such as traffic, aerodeposition, industry, and illegal waste dumps.…”

Section: Study Areamentioning

confidence: 99%

The Relationship between the Physicochemical Properties and Permeability of the Fluvisols and Eutric Cambisols in the Zagreb Aquifer, Croatia

et al. 2019

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The physicochemical properties of soil and the unsaturated zone can have a large influence on the infiltration of precipitation into an aquifer. Soil permeability presents soil property that can be very variable. The main objectives of this study were to estimate differences in soil permeability in two dominant types of soils—Fluvisols and Eutric Cambisols—in the area of the Zagreb aquifer and determine the relationship between the physicochemical properties and the permeability of the analyzed soils. For this purpose, the particle size distribution, soil water retention curves (SWRCs), hydraulic parameters, and chemical properties of soils (i.e., electrical conductivity (EC), pH, carbonate content, cation exchange capacity (CEC), and total concentration of zinc (Zn)) from six soil profiles were observed. In general, the results show that Fluvisols have a smaller amount of clay and a higher amount of sand. Furthermore, particle size distribution indicates that Eutric Cambisols have smaller permeability and a slightly higher capacity for retention. In Eutric Cambisols, the percentages of clay, silt, and sand generally do not change with depth. On average, Fluvisols and Eutric Cambisols become impermeable when they reach different values of water content and effective saturation. All results suggest that Fluvisols generally have to desaturate more than Eutric Cambisols to become impermeable. The proportions of sand and Ks increases through the depth of all analyzed soils, while CEC, EC, and Zn decrease. The total Zn generally decrease with depth, which can be attributed to the aerodeposition in the surface horizons of the analyzed soils and their higher availability for binding/sorption elements. Generally, it can be seen that most Zn concentrations increase until 80 cm in depth, after which they decrease. This result indicates that, in these specific locations, the groundwater body is not under the influence of a potentially toxic metal, in this case Zn. Statistical analysis shows a strong correlation between Zn concentrations and some soil properties, such as soil texture and CEC. This may point to the prevalence of Zn retention. Furthermore, statistical results show that silt has a higher influence on the permeability of Eutric Cambisols than Fluvisols.

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Section: Study Areamentioning

confidence: 99%

The Relationship between the Physicochemical Properties and Permeability of the Fluvisols and Eutric Cambisols in the Zagreb Aquifer, Croatia

et al. 2019

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“…The Zagreb aquifer, from a hydrogeological perspective, consists of three main units: an unsaturated part of the alluvial deposits (overburden), a shallow Holocene aquifer layer and a deeper Pleistocene aquifer layer. The unsaturated zone thickness varies from two to eight meters (Ružičić et al, 2012), while during high waters, some parts of the Zagreb aquifer area can be flooded (Huljek et al, 2019). However, it must be emphasized that a great part of the unsaturated zone is disintegrated by the anthropogenic influence, especially in the urban part of the City of Zagreb.…”

Section: Geological and Hydrogeological Settingsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Use of Nuclear Power Plant Released Tritium as a Groundwater Tracer

Barešić

Parlov

Kovač

et al. 2020

MGPB

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Tritium presents a natural radioactive isotope which can be used as a tracer in hydrology. This paper presents the usage of tritium in hydrogeological research of the Zagreb aquifer, which presents the country`s strategic water reserves and is protected by the Republic of Croatia. In the research area, higher tritium content in surface water and groundwater is the result of releasing coolant water from the Nuclear power plant Krško. Tritium content was measured in 13 piezometers and one pumping well, in the wider area of the Petruševec and Kosnica well fields. It has been shown that tritium from cooling water is much more pronounced than its natural seasonal variability, and it can be very useful as a tracer. Also, results showed that the intensity and delay of responses in the aquifer depend on their distance from the Sava River and piezometer depth. Furthermore, the results suggest that variable hydrologic conditions can generate rapid change in the groundwater flow direction and affect tritium transport through the aquifer.

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“…Previous research on the Zagreb aquifer focused on hydrogeological interpretations and determining the connection between the geological structure and the Quaternary aquifer system of the Sava River in Croatia [3], determining the impact of Zagreb landfills on groundwater quality of the Zagreb aquifer [4], nitrate concentrations in groundwater and the potential impact of agriculture on groundwater quality [5][6][7], groundwater status and risk assessment for the River Basin Management Plans of the Republic of Croatia [1], interpretations of the content of stable isotopes [8,9], assessment of tritium released from the Krško nuclear power plant (Slovenia) as a groundwater tracer [10], and the reasons for falling groundwater levels in the Zagreb alluvial aquifer [11]. Mathematical modeling of the Zagreb aquifer was performed for the groundwater protection of the Zagreb aquifer [12] and pollution transport [13].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

The Possibility of Managed Aquifer Recharge (MAR) for Normal Functioning of the Public Water-Supply of Zagreb, Croatia

Meaški

Biondić

Loborec

et al. 2021

Water

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With its quantities of groundwater, the Zagreb aquifer is an irreplaceable water-supply resource that forms the basis of the water-supply of Zagreb, the capital and largest city of the Republic of Croatia. The depth of the Zagreb aquifer system is about 100 m at the deepest part, and the two main aquifers of the aquifer system can be separated vertically by low-permeable clay deposits. In the area of the Zagreb aquifer, there are several active and reserve public water-supply sites, the largest of which are Mala Mlaka and Petruševec. The groundwater level of the Zagreb aquifer is directly related to the water levels of the Sava River, so any erosive change in the Sava riverbed decreases the groundwater levels in the aquifer. In the last 50 years, the groundwater levels in the Zagreb aquifer have decreased significantly, being most pronounced in the area of the Mala Mlaka water-supply site. This has affected the normal functioning of the public water-supply because the suction baskets of the pumps in the dug wells at the Mala Mlaka water-supply site occasionally remain partially or completely in the unsaturated aquifer zone during low groundwater levels, which reduces capacity or prevents pumping from these water-supply facilities. Immediately next to the Mala Mlaka water-supply site is the Sava-Odra Canal, which was built to protect Zagreb from flooding and into which the Sava River flows when its flow rate exceeds 2350 m3/s. This reduces the flow rate of the Sava River near Zagreb and the possibility of flooding urban areas. To prevent problems with groundwater levels at the Mala Mlaka water-supply facilities and to enable normal water-supply, even in extremely dry periods, several variants of managed aquifer recharge (MAR) are proposed here. In order to determine the optimal solution for MAR and to enable the normal functioning of one of the main sites of water-supply in the Zagreb water-supply system. Groundwater flow for the period of 2006 to 2010 was simulated for six different variants of MAR. One assumes a constant potential in the Sava-Odra Canal, three are related to recharge from the Sava-Odra Canal with different backwater levels in the infiltration facility (elevations of 114, 114.5, and 115 m a.s.l.), and two with three absorption wells upstream of the Mala Mlaka water pumping station (injection of 300 L/s each and 500 L/s each). The most favorable method to recharge artificially the Zagreb aquifer near the Mala Mlaka pumping station is achieved with an infiltration facility using an elevation of 115 m a.s.l. The use of such a facility will enable the smooth operation of the water pumping station and the possibility of increasing the pumping quantities at the Mala Mlaka water pumping station for the future development of the area.

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Nitrate contamination risk of the Zagreb aquifer

Cited by 10 publications

References 28 publications

The Relationship between the Physicochemical Properties and Permeability of the Fluvisols and Eutric Cambisols in the Zagreb Aquifer, Croatia

The Relationship between the Physicochemical Properties and Permeability of the Fluvisols and Eutric Cambisols in the Zagreb Aquifer, Croatia

Use of Nuclear Power Plant Released Tritium as a Groundwater Tracer

The Possibility of Managed Aquifer Recharge (MAR) for Normal Functioning of the Public Water-Supply of Zagreb, Croatia

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